Willshackler

Role: Collecting common proper noun syllables in the same manner their unspecialized colleagues collect recitations, willshacklers resemble truenamers in form and function. Though their growth of understanding of the various codices is somewhat retarded, they bring to bear a number of potent command words that affect specific races and creature subtypes.

Alignment: Any. Though the desire to assert dominance over other creatures is typically the realm of the Lawful individual, there have been cases of agents of chaos who had the discipline to learn the craft simply because of its sheer potential for shenanigans.

Hit Die: d6

Requirements: To qualify to become a willshackler, a character must fulfill all of the following criteria.

Class Features

Weapon and Armor Proficiency

Willshacklers gain no proficiency with any weapon or armor.

Recitations per Day

At the indicated levels, a willshackler gains new recitations as if he had also gained a level in a reciting class he belonged to before adding the prestige class. He does not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained, except for recitations known, access to the various codices, and an increased effective level of reciting. If a character had more than one reciting class before becoming a willshackler, he must decide to which class he adds the new level for the purpose of determining recitation progression.

Command Word (Su)

Starting at 1st level, a willshackler begins to devise sets of instructions to the universe that feed off of his study of proper names within the First Language. These are known as command words. Command words can be used as a standard action and generally follow the rules for recitations, meaning that though their use is a supernatural ability, they provoke attacks of opportunity unless spoken on the defensive. As they are supernatural, they cannot be counterspelled, dispelled, or dismissed. Command words have a range of 60 feet and affect a single creature whose creature type has been selected as one of the willshackler’s nomenclature studies. Inflections can be applied to command words, with all of the usual effects. As they are treated like recitations, command words are also subject to all of the Laws of the universe. Command words have no recitation level. To that end, the truenaming DC of each command word is listed in its entry. The DC of a saving throw called for by a command word is equal to 10 + the speaker’s willshackler class level + the speaker’s Intelligence modifier. The willshackler gains a command word from the list below at 1st, 2nd, 4th, 6th, and 8th level.

Though many command words appear as though they are mind-affecting abilities, they are not. The universe is forcing the behavior to occur by narrowing future possibility to allow only the desired behavior. To that end, creatures that are generally immune to conditions imposed by or bonus types granted by a command word are affected by them instead. Skeletons with a morale bonus and sickenedoozes can indeed happen, that is, if the universe wills it. Similarly, this direct imposition by the universe makes it so command words do not have a similar school that can be manipulated by outside forces.

Ameliorate

Duration: instantaneousTruenaming DC: 13

The remaining duration of a chosen condition affecting the subject is reduced by 5 rounds. If the willshackler does not know the conditions to which a creature is already subject, he may try to guess, but there is no effect if he names a condition the creature does not have. A successful Will save negates this effect. Though this effect is instantaneous, once this command word is spoken, it cannot be spoken again for 5 rounds in accordance with the Law of Flowing Rhetoric.

Debilitate

Duration: 5 roundsTruenaming DC: 19

Each round at the beginning of the subject’s turn, it is both staggered and sickened for 1 round unless it makes a successful Fortitude save. Undead subjects must make a Will save instead. A willshackler must be at least 6th level to select this command word.

Exacerbate

Duration: instantaneousTruenaming DC: 13

The remaining duration of a condition of the willshackler’s choice affecting the subject is doubled. If the willshackler does not know the conditions to which a creature is already subject, he may try to guess, but there is no effect if he names a condition the creature does not have. A successful Will save negates this effect.

Though this effect is instantaneous, once this command word is spoken, it cannot be spoken again for 5 rounds in accordance with the Law of Flowing Rhetoric.

Germinate

Duration: 5 roundsTruenaming DC: 16

The subject is rendered incapable of movement unless it makes a successful Reflex save. Creatures stuck in this fashion may attempt to break free as a standard action. This requires a DC 20 Strength check. Creatures that make their Reflex save or Strength check are entangled for the remainder of the command word’s duration. Incorporeal creatures and creatures that are not adjacent to a suitable anchor are completely immune to this command word.

Incapacitate

Duration: instantaneousTruenaming DC: 16

With but a single word, a creature can be frozen in its tracks. The subject is stunned for 1 round with a Fortitude save to negate. Undead subjects must make a Will save instead.

Though this effect is instantaneous, once this command word is spoken, it cannot be spoken again for 5 rounds in accordance with the Law of Flowing Rhetoric.

Invigorate

Duration: 5 roundsTruenaming DC: 19

Your command gives a creature a mighty burst of energy. The subject gains a +4 morale bonus to both Strength and Constitution. A willshacker must be at least 4th level to select this command word.

Lacerate

Though this effect is instantaneous, once this command word is spoken, it cannot be spoken again for 5 rounds in accordance with the Law of Flowing Rhetoric. A willshackler must be at least 6th level to select this command word.

Though this effect is instantaneous, once this command word is spoken, it cannot be spoken again for 5 rounds in accordance with the Law of Flowing Rhetoric.

Obfuscate

Duration: 5 roundsTruenaming DC: 13

A creature affected by this command word has its judgement impaired. The subject takes a penalty to its Sense Motive checks equal to your Intelligence modifier. A successful Will save negates.

Substantiate

Duration: 5 roundsTruenaming DC: 16

A creature affected by this command word is compelled to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. The subject must clearly and truthfully respond to all queries posed to it. A successful Will save negates.

Nomenclature Study

At 1st level, select a single creature type from Table: Nomenclature Study Creature Types. The willshackler can now target creatures of that creature type with his command words. At 3rd level and every two levels beyond 3rd, the willshackler selects another creature type. He may choose the same creature type multiple times. The Difficulty Class of his command words increases by +1 against that specific creature type for each time it has been selected beyond the first.

If the willshackler chooses humanoids or outsiders as his nomenclature study, he must also choose an associated subtype, as indicated on the table below. (Note that the listed subtypes are not exhaustive.) If a specific creature falls into more than one category of nomenclature study, the willshackler’s bonuses do not stack? he simply uses whichever bonus is higher.

True Name

At 5nd level, a willshackler has randomly stumbled across the full true name of a creature whose creature type is one of his nomenclature studies. He gains the true name arcane discovery.

Command Word: Annihilate (Su)

At 10th level, a willshackler learns how to order the universe to utterly eliminate a creature. Treat this as a command word with a duration of instantaneous and a truenaming DC of 25. The subject must make a Fortitude save or fold in upon itself before vanishing utterly from the universe. Undead subjects must instead make a Will save. The wish and miracle spells can return to life those who have been eliminated in this fashion. This command word can only be used once per day per nomenclature study the willshackler has. That is to say, if the willshackler selected humans as his nomenclature study twice, he can use this command word on humans twice per day.

Though this effect is instantaneous, once this command word is spoken, it cannot be spoken again for 5 rounds in accordance with the Law of Flowing Rhetoric.